Ben Gurion Tries to Expand Cabinet in Face of Crisis

As a result of the situation created by the Soviet supply of arms to Egypt, Premier-designate David Ben Gurion has undertaken negotiations to extend the four-party cabinet he has assembled into a broad coalition which would include the centrist General Zionists and the Religious bloc.

Mr. Ben Gurion, although still confined to his hotel room, invited his Progressive Party associates to yield one of the two seats they were assigned in the four-party cabinet so that the Premier-designate could meet the Hapoel Hamizrachi demands. It was reported today that Moshe Kol, Progressive who had been assigned a ministry without portfolio, had agreed to give up his post.

The position of the General Zionists will be clarified at the meeting tomorrow of the party’s central committee.